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To secure the best jobs after college, aspiring fashion design professionals like yourself need more than just a curated portfolio showcasing your work—you need hands-on internship experience to impress potential employers. Fashion design, like many creative industries, is extremely competitive, making it essential to stand out from your peers. While any fashion design internship is valuable, one of the best ways to attract employers is to get an international internship in a city known for fashion.
An international fashion design internship will show employers that you have experience working with people from diverse background—an absolute must-have in an industry where every phase—design, production, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution—may take place in a different country or region of the world.
Plus, with an internship abroad, you’ll have the chance to travel and dive into new and exciting cultures! Distinguish yourself from other candidates and explore the world with an AIFS Abroad internship in these top-rated cities for fashion design.
Want to craft a runway-worthy future in fashion design? Explore AIFS Abroad’s top 5 global cities for fashion design internships!
1. Milan
Milan is a hotbed for fashion design and the birthplace of world-famous fashion brands like Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Versace, and more. Milan is also home to the renowned Milan Fashion Week, which occurs twice a year, and is an opportunity for the biggest fashion brands from around the world to present their latest designs. While Milan hosts some of the globe’s largest fashion brands, plenty of smaller and mid-sized fashion companies also call the city home, as well as independent designers. In Milan, you can easily grow your professional network and find inspiration in the city’s rich, artistic history.
Immerse yourself in Italian culture, explore this design-centric city, and work towards your dream of getting one of your designs on the runway in Milan. When you’re not working towards your career goals, you can enjoy Milanese cuisine and art or take a train ride to nearby countries like Switzerland, France, Germany, or Austria. Milan offers an unbeatable global lifestyle focused on design. What are you waiting for? Apply for an AIFS Abroad fashion design internship in Milan!
2. Florence
Florence has been at the center of the art world for nearly a thousand years. Today, one of the creative pursuits it’s known for is fashion design. If you’re looking for vast history, beautiful architecture, magnificent art, and plenty of fashion design opportunities, Florence is an outstanding option. Here, you can learn about the historic influences of contemporary design trends while interning at modern fashion brands or with independent designers that are making their mark on the industry.
In Florence, you’ll also have easy access to the rest of Italy, making travel a breeze. Here, you can dive deep into Florentine culture—hunt for the best gelato or espresso, visit museums, and find inspiration in every nook and cranny of this storied city. Explore everything this Renaissance city (and Italy) has to offer with a fashion design internship in Florence!
3. Sydney
Sydney is the creative center of Australia. It’s a global city with lively music, theatre, literary and visual arts, and design. The city is home to some of Australia’s most influential fashion brands and Australian Fashion Week (held in an inner suburb of Sydney) — making it an incredible location for aspiring fashion designers. Sydney is also well-known for its elevated ready-to-wear, athletic, and swimwear fashion, niches within the fashion design industry that are only growing more popular. Plus, Sydney is the financial and business center of Australia, making it a great place to build a professional network and launch your fashion career.
With a fashion design internship in Sydney, you’ll not only be placing yourself in one of the biggest fashion centers in the Asia-Pacific region, but you’ll also be able to enjoy all the benefits that come with a Sydney lifestyle. Whether you love live music, relaxing on the beach, outdoor activities, or being inspired by art, Sydney has a place for you. Find out why people from all over the globe rave about this sunny city with a fashion design internship in Sydney.
4. New York City
New York City is a bona fide global fashion capital—a fashion design internship in this city will be sure to impress future employers. This creative powerhouse of a city is known as a particularly competitive place in the fashion industry, which will help you stand out from the competition as you launch your career.
Here, you can surround yourself with reputable fashion design universities—like Pratt Institute and the Fashion Institute of Technology—and world-renowned fashion brands like Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Michael Kors. You can make a name for yourself while you build a fashion design portfolio and gain hands-on experience at any number of boutique fashion companies or with independent designers. Plus, you’ll be living and interning in one of the most international cities in the world, a place brimming with culture and life! What’s not to love about a fashion design internship in New York City?
5. Berlin
Berlin is a global fashion center with a reputation for bold, unique styles and inspiring creative freedom and innovation—perfect for an internship in fashion design. The city’s fashion scene is often described as “avant-garde” and offers unique opportunities for fashion designers focused on sustainable fashion. Walk through fashion-centric districts in Berlin like Charlottenburg, Kreuzberg, or Mitte and you’ll see its heavy influence in the luxury fashion brands, fashion boutiques, and the unique styles displayed by the locals.
Berlin isn’t just an appealing option for those looking to hone their creative focus and advance their fashion design career, it’s also a great city that offers dynamic culture and a high quality of life. Plus, you’ll have the option to immerse yourself in the German language or get around with just English—Berliners are known for their phenomenal English proficiency. Interested in traveling the rest of Europe? Berlin is in the heart of the continent, making it easy to visit neighboring countries. Launch your fashion design career with an internship in Berlin!
Looking to distinguish yourself with an impressive fashion design internship? Connect with new cultures and develop your fashion design career simultaneously with AIFS Abroad!
An international fashion design internship is the best way to gain hands-on experience while immersing yourself in diverse cultures across the globe. With internship placements in some of the world’s most fashion-forward cities, AIFS Abroad provides unparalleled opportunities for aspiring fashion designers. With inclusions such as housing, insurance, career readiness programming, excursions and activities, on-site staff, and emergency support, you’ll have a stress-free professional development experience. Don’t miss the opportunity to stand out in the competitive fashion design field with an internship abroad!